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Authored by Andrew Perna - 30th September, 2008 - 8:37 pm
A number of big names changed addresses in the NBA this summer, with All-Stars like Baron Davis, Elton Brand and Jermaine O’Neal ending extended stays with Golden State, Los Angeles and Indiana, respectively.
Davis and Brand moved via free agency, while guys like O’Neal and T.J. Ford, who were swapped for one another, landed in new cities thanks blockbuster trades.
Even with training camps opening around the league, we won’t see all of these familiar faces wearing their new jerseys in game action until the end of October when the NBA season kicks off.
Thankfully, our friends at 2K Sports have provided RealGM with some exclusive screenshots, which has given us a good idea of what this summer’s big acquisitions will look like on the court in roughly a month.
2K Sports’ latest basketball game, NBA 2K9, will hit stores on Oct. 7 across the country for all major platforms. Kevin Garnett graces the cover for the franchise’s tenth season on the heels of his championship triumph in Boston.
Let’s take a look at how six NBA stars will look on the court this season…
Baron Davis joins the Clippers
Baron Davis surprised a few people when he opted out of his deal with the Warriors and changed California zip codes by joining the Clippers a few months ago. Davis may, or may not, have signed with Los Angeles in anticipation of playing alongside Elton Brand, but he’s now calling the STAPLES Center home nonetheless.
Courtesy of NBA 2K9/2K Sports
The Clippers won twenty-five fewer games than the Warriors last season, but the addition of Davis, Marcus Camby and Eric Gordon, even with the loss of Brand and Corey Maggette, could make L.A.’s other team a dark horse to sneak into the playoffs.
Davis, a two-time All-Star, has averaged 17.1 points, 7.2 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game in his career. It has been a while since the Clippers had an elite point guard, and the presence of Baron should make many of his teammates better.
Flashback Battles
New Orleans Hornets (’99-’05) – Nov. 24, Jan. 9, Apr. 1
Golden State Warriors (’05-’08) – Nov. 15, Jan. 25, Feb. 23, Mar. 17
Corey Maggette jets for Golden State
Maggette was coveted by a number of teams, including Boston and San Antonio, but ended up cashing in with the Warriors when Davis left town. The decision was probably a good one for Maggette personally, as he got significantly more than the mid-level deal the Celtics and Spurs were offering.
Courtesy of NBA 2K9/2K Sports
Maggette has averaged 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game in his nine NBA seasons. However, his production over his last five years was significantly better than his first three in the league.
He might have to handle the ball a little more than he’s used to with the Warriors, as they don’t have depth at point guard. Marcus Williams is the team’s only true point, and Monta Ellis, who was expected to handle the ball with Davis in L.A., is famously out for the beginning of the season with an ankle injury.
Flashback Battles
Orlando Magic (’99-’00) – Dec. 15, Dec. 22
L.A. Clippers (’00-’08) - Nov. 15, Jan. 25, Feb. 23, Mar. 17
Elton Brand heads East to Philly
Brand spurned the West Coast in favor of the 76ers in the eleventh hour back in July, joining Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala and Samuel Dalembert to form one of the NBA’s most talented and exciting rosters.
Courtesy of NBA 2K9/2K Sports
Brand is perhaps the best player to have switched teams this offseason, bringing career averages of 20.3 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game, from the West to the East. Elton was the NBA’s Rookie of the Year (2000) and has been named to a pair of All-Star teams.
In the league’s weaker conference, and with young talent of Philadelphia, Brand could enjoy more personal and team success than he has in his first nine NBA seasons. Of course, that is assuming he can remain healthy.
Flashback Battles
Chicago Bulls (’99-’01) – Nov. 30, Dec. 2, Mar. 13, Apr. 9
L.A. Clippers (’01-’08) – Nov. 21, Dec. 31
James Posey leaves champs for New Orleans
Posey has the most modest individual resume of the six players featured in this piece, but he is the only one with a championship ring. In fact, he has two (Boston in 2008 and Miami in 2006). That explains why a number of teams were looking to sign him this offseason. He had a list of suitors longer than any other player on the market.
Courtesy of NBA 2K9/2K Sports
His career numbers, 9.2 points and 4.9 rebounds, don’t jump off the page, but he has famously been christened as a “glue guy”. Having joined New Orleans, we will see if Posey just happened to be in the right place at the right time with the Celtics and Heat, or if he truly does elevate clubs to another level.
Flashback Battles
Denver Nuggets (’99-’03) – Nov. 27, Jan. 3, Jan. 28, Mar. 25
Houston Rockets (’03) – Nov. 15, Dec. 26, Mar. 16, Apr. 13
Memphis Grizzles (’03-’05) – Dec. 6, Dec.16, Feb. 9, Mar. 20
Miami Heat (’05-’07) – Nov. 8, Apr. 7
Boston Celtics (’07-’08) – Dec. 12, Feb. 11
Jermaine O’Neal crosses the border to Toronto
Not long ago O’Neal was mentioned in conversations involving the NBA’s MVP award, but a litany of injures have momentarily derailed his career. After eight seasons with the Pacers, he has been given a fresh start with the Raptors. He’ll team with Chris Bosh to form the most fearsome post-duo in the league today.
Courtesy of NBA 2K9/2K Sports
Some forget that O’Neal has averaged more than ten rebounds on three occasions, while scoring twenty or more per game four times. His career numbers, 14.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks, are lower than expected because of the four seasons he spent on the bench in Portland.
If Jermaine can remain healthy this season, it’s quite possible that he could return to elite form north of the border.
Flashback Battles
Portland Trail Blazers – Dec. 7, Dec. 27
Indiana Pacers – Dec. 10, Jan. 16, Mar. 15, Apr. 8
T.J. Ford brings new engine to Indiana
Ford formed one of the best point guard tandems in the league last season with Jose Calderon, but ended up in the heartland thanks to Toronto’s desire to have a full-time starter and Indiana’s rebuilding process. He has only been in the league for four years and has missed significant time with numerous injures, having never played more than 71 games in a single season.
Courtesy of NBA 2k9/2K Sports
Ford will battle Jarrett Jack for a majority of the time at point guard, but is expected to win the starting role for the Pacers. His career numbers, 11.6 points, 6.9 assists and 1.3 steals, indicate that he could be a very good starter given a full load. With that said, there are doubts as to whether or not he can handle such a role.
Flashback Battles
Milwaukee Bucks – Dec. 13, Jan. 28, Feb. 11, Apr. 15
Toronto Raptors – Dec. 10, Jan. 16, Mar. 15, Apr. 8
If the release of 2K Sports’ NBA 2K9 isn’t enough to get you excited for the coming season, how about a contest to get all you hoopheads energized for another seven months of action?
We will be giving away some 2K Sports merchandise, including a few copies of NBA 2K9, to lucky readers in the coming weeks.
Just e-mail Andrew (Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com) with the correct answer to any one of following five questions (just one, not all five please) and you’ll be entered into the running for a prize!
The ‘Starting Five’ Questions
1. Who was featured on the cover of NBA 2K5?
2. What point guard graced the cover of NBA 2K1 through NBA 2K4?
3. On what date was NBA 2K8 released for Xbox 360, PS2 and PS3?
4. What code is needed to unlock the special St. Patrick’s Day Jerseys in 2K8?
5. On what date did 2K Sports update rosters following last season’s trade deadline?
Any questions about the coming NBA season, the release of NBA 2K9 or this contest? E-mail Andrew at Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com, or click over to 2k Sports’ NBA 2K9 page. |
